U.S. patent application number 14/127888 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-08 for instrument panel crossmember for vehicles that have different configurations.
This patent application is currently assigned to FAURECIA INTERIEUR INDUSTRIE. The applicant listed for this patent is FAURECIA INTERIEUR INDUSTRIE. Invention is credited to Laurent Baudart, Christian Brancheriau, Sergio Da Costa Pito, Albin Descamps.
Application Number | 20140125086 14/127888 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46321026 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140125086 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Da Costa Pito; Sergio ; et
al. |
May 8, 2014 |
INSTRUMENT PANEL CROSSMEMBER FOR VEHICLES THAT HAVE DIFFERENT
CONFIGURATIONS
Abstract
The invention relates to an instrument panel crossmember for
vehicles that have different configurations, said crossmember (4)
being intended to extend between two front pillars (28, 30) of a
vehicle. According to the invention, the crossmember (4) comprises
a first portion (22) extending opposite the vehicle driving seat,
one end of said first portion (22) being intended to connect to a
front pillar (28) of the vehicle, the other end being connected to
a fixing device (26), said fixing device (26) being designed
selectively to support one end of a second portion (24) extending
facing the vehicle passenger seat and/or a strut (20) designed to
connect said crossmember (4) to the floor (16) of the vehicle,
depending on the configuration of the vehicle.
Inventors: |
Da Costa Pito; Sergio;
(Cergy, FR) ; Brancheriau; Christian; (Herblay,
FR) ; Baudart; Laurent; (Fresnoy En Thelle, FR)
; Descamps; Albin; (Montjavoult, FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FAURECIA INTERIEUR INDUSTRIE |
Nanterre |
|
FR |
|
|
Assignee: |
FAURECIA INTERIEUR
INDUSTRIE
Nanterre
FR
|
Family ID: |
46321026 |
Appl. No.: |
14/127888 |
Filed: |
June 20, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
June 20, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2012/061895 |
371 Date: |
December 19, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
296/72 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D 25/145
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
296/72 |
International
Class: |
B62D 25/14 20060101
B62D025/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 21, 2011 |
FR |
11 55459 |
Claims
1. An instrument panel crossmember for vehicles that have different
configurations, said crossmember being intended to extend between
two front pillars of a vehicle, the crossmember comprises a first
portion extending opposite the vehicle driving seat, one end of
said first portion being intended to connect to a front pillar of
the vehicle, the other end being connected to a fixing device, said
fixing device being designed selectively to support one end of a
second portion extending facing the vehicle passenger seat and/or a
strut designed to connect the crossmember to the floor of the
vehicle, depending on the configuration of the vehicle,
characterized in that the fixing device comprises fixing and/or
centering means designed to cooperate with receiving orifices
belonging to the second portion and/or the first end of the
strut.
2. The crossmember according to claim 1, characterized in that one
of the ends of the second portion is designed to be fixed to a
front pillar of the vehicle.
3. The crossmember according to claim 1, characterized in that the
fixing device comprises a first platen extending substantially
perpendicular to the transverse direction of the vehicle and fixed
to the end of the first portion opposite the front pillar.
4. The crossmember according to claim 3, characterized in that the
fixing device comprises a second platen extending substantially
perpendicular to the transverse direction of the vehicle and fixed
to the end of the second portion positioned across from the first
portion.
5. The crossmember according to claim 4, characterized in that the
first platen comprises fixing means and/or centering means, the
second platen comprising the receiving orifices for said means.
6. The crossmember according to claim 5, characterized in that the
fixing means are formed by at least one threaded axle intended to
cooperate with a nut.
7. The crossmember according to claim 6, characterized in that the
axle of the fixing means is substantially parallel to the axis of
the first portion and/or the second portion.
8. The crossmember according to, claim 1 characterized in that at
least one of the first and second portions and the strut is made
from magnesium, or aluminum, or composite materials.
9. A line of vehicles, characterized in that each of the vehicles
in the line includes an instrument panel crossmember according to
claim 1 having the same first segment.
10. The line of vehicles according to claim 9, wherein at least one
vehicle in the line includes only a first portion and a second
portion.
11. The line of vehicles according to claim 9, wherein at least one
vehicle in the line includes only a first portion and a strut.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an instrument panel
crossmember for vehicles that have different configurations, said
crossmember being intended to extend between two front pillars of a
vehicle.
[0002] The invention also relates to a line of vehicles.
[0003] Each vehicle in the line has a unique body shell structure,
adapted to the body of the vehicle, the vehicle's propulsion mode
and/or the equipment supported by said body shell.
[0004] FIG. 1 shows, from the inside of the vehicle, a vehicle body
shell 2 of the prior art according to a first configuration.
[0005] In this first configuration, the body shell 2 comprises an
instrument panel crossmember 4 extending transversely in the
vehicle, and the ends of which are respectively fixed on the right
and left front pillars of the body structure, by means of a support
6.
[0006] Traditionally, the crossmember 4 is formed by a hollow
tubular element.
[0007] The crossmember 4 is designed to support different equipment
of the vehicle, such as the instrument panel (not shown) of the
vehicle. It may also serve to support a steering column support 8
of the vehicle.
[0008] To that end, the crossmember 4 comprises different support
tabs (not shown) designed to support different pieces of equipment
of the vehicle.
[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, the body shell 2 comprises an upper fire
wall 10 separating the engine compartment of the vehicle and the
passenger compartment 12 of that vehicle, and a lower recess
crossmember 14 situated below the windshield of the vehicle, said
upper fire wall 10 and said lower recess crossmember 14 being
situated substantially at the instrument panel crossmember 4. A
floor 16 delimits the bottom part of the passenger compartment
12.
[0010] A connecting tab 18, extending substantially in the
longitudinal direction X of the vehicle, connects the lower recess
crossmember 14 and the instrument panel crossmember 4.
[0011] The vehicle body shell made according to this first
configuration also comprises a strut 20 connecting the main body of
said crossmember 4 and the floor 16, to react part of the forces
borne by the crossmember 4 and transmit them to the structure of
the vehicle via the floor 16. The strut 20 is situated near the
steering column support 8.
[0012] Other vehicle body shells exist that are made according to a
second configuration. These vehicle body shells only comprise a
half-crossmember of an instrument panel, i.e., only a single
crossmember portion situated across from the driving seat and
suitable for receiving the steering column support. In this second
configuration, one of the ends of the portion is fixed to the left
front pillar, and the other end supports the upper end of the
strut. Thus, in this configuration, the forces borne by the
crossmember are transmitted to the front left pillar and the
floor.
[0013] Vehicle body shells also exist made according to a third
configuration. These vehicle body shells do not comprise any strut,
the forces borne by the crossmember extending transversely in the
vehicle then being transmitted only to the structure of the vehicle
via the right and left front pillars.
[0014] The different configurations described above may each be
developed for a different type of vehicle, for example a sedan, a
coupe, a coupe/cabriolet, etc., or for vehicles having different
propulsion modes, such as an internal combustion engine, an
electric engine or a hybrid propulsion mode.
[0015] Likewise, these different configurations may be used for
vehicles having different equipment or for vehicles intended to be
sold in different geographical regions. In fact, from one country
to another, the safety standards vary, which sometimes requires
redeveloping the body shell of the vehicle.
[0016] However, the development of each new vehicle body shell is
expensive. A design study must be conducted on the body shell and,
in particular, its instrument panel crossmember and any strut that
may be present each time. Furthermore, each new development of
parts requires expensive specific tools.
[0017] One aim of the invention is to offset the aforementioned
drawbacks by proposing an inexpensive line of vehicles, making it
possible to reduce the development time for each vehicle in that
line and the associated tooling costs.
[0018] To that end, the invention relates to an instrument panel
crossmember of the aforementioned type, characterized in that
[0019] the crossmember comprises a first portion extending opposite
the vehicle driving seat, one end of said first portion being
intended to connect to a front pillar of the vehicle, the other end
being connected to a fixing device; and in that [0020] said fixing
device is designed selectively to support one end of a second
portion extending facing the vehicle passenger seat and/or a strut
designed to connect the crossmember to the floor of the vehicle,
depending on the configuration of the vehicle.
[0021] The crossmember according to the invention may include one
or more of the following features: [0022] one of the ends of the
second portion may be intended to be fixed to a front pillar of the
vehicle; [0023] the fixing device may comprise a first platen
extending substantially perpendicular to the transverse direction
of the vehicle and fixed to the end of the first portion opposite
the front pillar; [0024] the fixing device may comprise a second
platen extending substantially perpendicular to the transverse
direction of the vehicle and fixed to the end of the second portion
positioned across from the first portion; [0025] the first platen
may comprise fixing means and centering means intended to cooperate
with receiving orifices of the second platen and/or the upper end
of the strut; [0026] the fixing means may be formed by at least one
threaded axle intended to cooperate with a nut; [0027] at least one
of the first and second portions and the strut may be made from
magnesium, or aluminum, or composite materials.
[0028] The invention also relates to a line of vehicles
characterized in that each of the vehicles in the line includes an
instrument panel crossmember according to the invention having the
same first segment.
[0029] According to one embodiment, at least one vehicle in the
line may include only a first portion and a second portion.
[0030] According to a second embodiment, at least one vehicle in
the line may include only a first portion and a strut.
[0031] The invention will be better understood upon reading the
following description, provided solely as an example and done in
reference to the appended drawings, in which:
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a partial perspective view of a vehicle body
shell of the prior art and comprising an instrument panel
crossmember and a strut;
[0033] FIG. 2 is a partial front view of a first vehicle structure,
said structure comprising an instrument panel crossmember made up
of two half-portions and a strut assembled to each other using a
fixing device;
[0034] FIG. 3 shows a front view of a first platen belonging to the
fixing device;
[0035] FIG. 4 shows a front view of the upper end of the strut;
[0036] FIG. 5 shows a front view of a second platen belonging to
the fixing device;
[0037] FIG. 6 shows a partial front view of a second vehicle
structure; and
[0038] FIG. 7 shows a partial front view of a third vehicle
structure.
[0039] The references used in describing the prior art shown in
FIG. 1 and designating the same parts will be used again in the
description that follows.
[0040] In the rest of the description, the terms "front", "rear",
"right", "left", "upper", "lower", "longitudinal", "transverse",
and "vertical" are to be understood in reference to the usual
system of orthogonal axes of the motor vehicles shown in the
Figures and having: [0041] a longitudinal axis X oriented from back
to front, [0042] a transverse axis Y oriented from right to left,
and [0043] a vertical axis Z oriented from bottom to top.
[0044] The invention aims to protect a line of vehicles having
different body shell structure configurations, said structures
having certain parts in common, as will be explained later.
[0045] The invention more particularly aims to protect a line of
vehicles having three different body shell structure
configurations, said structures including a first instrument panel
crossmember portion 22 extending substantially across from the
vehicle driving seat, and a second instrument panel crossmember
portion 24 positioned across from the passenger seat of the vehicle
and/or a strut 20.
[0046] Thus, in all configurations, the body shell structures
comprise the first instrument panel crossmember portion 22
extending transversely and positioned across from the vehicle
driving seat.
[0047] The first portion 22 includes an interface designed to
receive the steering column support 8 and allow the fixing of one
of the ends of the connecting tab 18, connecting the lower recess
crossmember 14 and the instrument panel crossmember 4.
[0048] The second portion 24 may in particular be designed to
support safety equipment containing an airbag designed to protect
the vehicle's passenger in case of impact.
[0049] Furthermore, according to the invention, the first portion
22 and the second portion 24 and/or the strut 20 are fastened to
each other using a fixing device 26.
[0050] We will now more particularly describe the first body shell
structure configuration shown in FIGS. 2 to 5.
[0051] The first body shell structure configuration comprises the
first instrument panel crossmember portion 22, one of the ends of
which is fixed to the left front pillar 28 of the vehicle by means
of a support 6, the second instrument panel crossmember portion 24,
one of the ends of which is fixed to the right front pillar 30 of
the vehicle by a support 6, and the strut 20.
[0052] The second portion 24 is positioned in the extension of the
first portion 22, such that their axes are parallel. Preferably and
as shown in FIG. 2, the first portion 22 and the second portion 24
extend coaxially.
[0053] As mentioned above, the first portion 22, the second portion
24 and the upper end 32 of the strut 20 are fixed to each other
using the fixing device 26.
[0054] The fixing device 26 comprises fixing means 36, for example
threaded axles that can be crimped or welded, of which there are
three in the illustrated example, and positioned so as each to form
the apices of a triangle. These fixing means 36 extend
substantially transversely in the transverse direction Y protruding
from the first portion 22.
[0055] The fixing device 26 comprises a first platen 34 shown in
FIG. 3, with a substantially rounded shape, extending substantially
perpendicular to the transverse direction Y of the vehicle and
fixed to the end of the first portion 22 opposite the left front
pillar 28. According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the
fixing means 36 are formed on the first platen 34 and extend
protruding therefrom in the transverse direction Y.
[0056] According to one embodiment, the fixing means 36 also
include centering means 38, such as crimped or welded rods, of
which there are two in the illustrated example, extending along
axes extending substantially in the transverse direction Y
protruding from the first portion 22. According to the embodiment
shown in the figures, the centering means 38 are formed on the
first platen, one 40 of said first rods being positioned at the
center of the platen 34 and the other 42 near the perimeter of the
lower part of the platen.
[0057] The axes of the centering means 38 are therefore
substantially parallel to the axles forming the fixing means
36.
[0058] The fixing device also comprises receiving orifices 46, 54
for receiving the fixing means 36 and receiving orifices 48 for
receiving the centering means 38, said orifices belonging to the
second portion 24 and/or the upper end 32 of the strut. The
receiving orifices 46, 54 for receiving the fixing means 36 and the
receiving orifices 48 for receiving the centering means 38 extend
along substantially transverse axes parallel to each other.
[0059] More particularly, the fixing device comprises a second
platen 44 shown in FIG. 5, with a substantially rounded shape,
extending substantially perpendicular to the transverse direction Y
of the vehicle and fixed to the end of the second portion 24
opposite the right front pillar 30. The second platen 44 has a
diameter smaller than that of the first platen 34.
[0060] Said second platen 44 bears the receiving orifices 46 of the
fixing means 36, of which there are three in the illustrated
example, and each forming the apices of a triangle.
[0061] The second platen 44 also includes the receiving orifices 48
of the centering means 38. In the example, two orifices are
provided, one 50 with a round shape, intended to receive the
central rod 40, and the other 52 with an oblong shape intended to
receive the rod 42.
[0062] In the assembled position, the upper end 32 of the strut 20
extends between the first 34 and second 44 platens. As shown in
FIG. 4, said end 32 bears the receiving orifices 54 for receiving
the fixing means 36 and the centering means 38 intended to be
positioned across from the orifices 46 and 48 of the second platen
44.
[0063] Thus, like the second platen 44, the upper end 32 of the
strut 20 is also provided with an oblong orifice 56 intended to
receive the rod 42.
[0064] In the illustrated example, in order to ensure fixing of the
first and second platens 34 and 44 and the strut 20, nuts 58 are
fixed on the threaded axles passing through the strut 20 and the
second platen 44.
[0065] According to the arrangement of the receiving orifices 54 on
the upper end 32 of the strut 20, the strut 20 may be positioned so
as to extend substantially in the vertical direction Z of the
vehicle or to be inclined relative to that vertical direction
Z.
[0066] According to another embodiment, the fixing means 36 and the
centering means 38 extend protruding from the second portion 24,
and the receiving orifices for those fixing and centering means are
provided on the first portion 22. To that end, it for example
suffices to reverse the position of the first platen 34 and that of
the second platen 44.
[0067] According to still another embodiment, the first portion 22
comprises one of the fixing means 36 and centering means 38 and the
second portion 24 comprises the other of the fixing means 36 and
centering means 38, the orifices for receiving these means being
distributed suitably between the first and second portions.
[0068] The fixing means 36 and centering means 38 are therefore
positioned in the extension of the first portion 22 and/or the
second portion 34, and their axis substantially parallel to the
axes of said first and second portions.
[0069] This arrangement makes it possible to facilitate the
assembly of the second portion 24 and/or the strut 20 on the first
portion 22 using the fixing device 26.
[0070] Furthermore, the fixing device 26 is not particularly
cumbersome inasmuch as the fixing means 36 and the centering means
38 are fitted into the contour of the first portion 22 and/or the
second portion 24, i.e., they do not increase the outer volume of
the body shell structure.
[0071] We will now more particularly describe the second body shell
structure configuration shown in FIG. 6.
[0072] This second body shell structure configuration comprises the
first segment 22, one of the ends of which is fixed to the left
front pillar 28 of the vehicle, and the strut 20, the end of the
first portion 22 opposite the left front pillar 28 supporting the
upper end 32 of the strut 20. Thus, the second body shell structure
configuration has no second portion 24 extending across from the
vehicle passenger seat.
[0073] The strut 20 is fixed on the first portion 22 using the
fixing device 26.
[0074] To that end, the first portion 22 comprises the first platen
34 previously described, and the upper end 32 of the strut 20
comprises the receiving orifices 54 for receiving the fixing means
36 and the centering means 38, previously described. The fixing of
the first platen 34 and the upper end 32 of the strut 20 is done by
nuts 58 fixed on the threaded axles passing through said upper end
32.
[0075] We will now more particularly describe the third body shell
structure configuration shown in FIG. 7.
[0076] This third body shell structure configuration comprises the
first portion 22, one of the ends of which is fixed to the left
front pillar 28 of the vehicle, and the second portion 24, one of
the ends of which is fixed to the right front pillar 30 of the
vehicle. Thus, this third body shell structure configuration has no
strut.
[0077] The first portion 22 is fixed on the second portion 24 using
the fixing device 26.
[0078] To that end, the fixing device 26 comprises the first and
second platens 34 and 44 previously described, respectively fixed
to the ends of the first and second portions 22 and 24. The first
and second platens are fixed to each other by nuts 58 fixed on the
threaded axles passing through the second platen 44.
[0079] Thus, the second portion 24 is shared by the first and third
body shell structure configurations, and the strut 20 is shared by
the first and second body shell structure configurations. The
second portion 24 and the strut 20 are thus positioned selectively
on the fixing device 26 depending on the body shell structure
configuration to which they belong.
[0080] The first portion is shared by the first, second and third
body shell structure configurations.
[0081] Preferably, the first and second portions 22 and 24 are
obtained from a hollow tubular element.
[0082] Preferably, the strut 20 is obtained from a folded metal
sheet.
[0083] Preferably, the first and second portions 22 and 24 and the
strut 20 are made from magnesium, aluminum, steel, composite
materials, or a hybrid solution, for example steel/magnesium or
steel/composite materials.
[0084] Such a line of vehicles makes it possible to reduce the cost
of developing vehicles and that line significantly by avoiding
complete development of the instrument panel crossmember for each
new vehicle configuration. The tooling costs are also reduced.
[0085] Furthermore, the vehicle body shells of that line have an
optimized mass.
[0086] Advantageously, a same body shell configuration may be
chosen for different vehicles, only the materials and the thickness
of the elements of the crossmember being adapted to the second
portion and/or the strut.
[0087] The vehicles described above are more particularly designed
for driving on the right. Of course, the invention also aims to
protect vehicles designed for driving on the left.
* * * * *